Great advice as usual. Totally agree about the value of a trolley as I carry even more stuff than you! (+music stand, stool, music bag). I had a cheap foldable version that lasted about a year (there are loads of versions out there, but they are all essentially the same and cost ~£28). It had 2 problems - the handle was not quite long enough, and after a while the wheels started to fold inwards while in use, which ultimately caused it to fail). I have invested in a more upmarket model that has a supporting bar between the wheels which prevents this happening and also has a longer handle. The model is called Wolfcraft 850 TS and has a 100Kg capacity and 10 year guarantee. They sell for about £86 at the moment. There is also an ‘off-road’ version that had thicker wheels for use on soft ground. Although similar it costs a lot more (cheapest I’ve seen is £125) but over 10 years if you are using it a lot, both models would turn out to be better value than the cheaper ones. ARP’s trolley looks very substantial and I’m sure would last longer than the ‘cheapies’ but it seems like it can only be pushed and doesn’t fold down (useful if you need to fit it in a car). Because of the design of the handle on the Wolfcraft it can be pushed or pulled (I find pulling easier - personal preference). Although the Wolfcraft comes with bungee straps, I had previously invested in some great ones that I would also recommend called ‘Yorkmills Bungee Cords with Hooks, 4 Pack 120cm‘ (£15 from online retailer beginning with A). They have two advantages - they have a flat profile, which means they don’t cut into things you are transporting, and they are adjustable in length. This means you can change the length to exactly what you need for your particular trolley/equipment (they are also available in longer/shorter basic lengths). Another item that’s useful for busking outside is a windscreen for your microphone. They help stop wind noise and also provide protection for your mic when transporting. The amp I use is a Boss Street Cube II. I find it loud enough and it has been reliable so far. It runs off 8 AA batteries. For these I highly recommend the Panasonic Eneloop 2000mAh rechargeable batteries. Expensive, but they last for years if charged sensibly (>2000 recharges). Shop around for the best deal on them. For a good charger for them I recommend the Technoline BL700N (£35 from Battery Logic). This has adjustable charging current (using a lower current prolongs the battery life, but you can use a higher current if you are in a hurry - I normally charge mine overnight). Cheaper similar looking chargers are available but they are not equivalent internally. The BL700N even deals with batteries that are completely discharged (a problem with some chargers). Well those are my recommendations. Not the cheapest (2023 prices) but sometimes you get what you pay for. I totally agree with ARP, it’s more important to get out there than wait for the perfect set up though. And one more essential item - a checklist of items to take! Nothing more frustrating than finding out you’ve forgotten something when you arrive at your busk location (eg batteries, guitar strap, plectrum, capo, sunscreen etc). Hope this helps someone.

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

dang dude, this is a whole video in itself - some absolutely incredible advice here!! I recommend people read this comment! 😃🙌 My trolly can bear a load up to 150kg and I think it was £60 from B&Q... I obviously changed the wheels myself to some non-inflatable tyres as the original ones burst 🤣 probably too much off-roading...!

@gritech1

2 ай бұрын

Thanks for taking the time to write all that down I've certainly made note of the trolleys 👍👍

@susanhegedus69

Ай бұрын

I just commented about trolleys and hadn’t seen your post. Lots of useful info. Has helped greatly. Thank you.

Cheers ARP I'm 64 and you were one of 3 people who inspired me to go busking. 1st one was in Brighton and I went with the thought that if I made a quid I'd be happy. I made £36 in just over an hour and was late getting there so didn't start till about 3pm. The first person to put anything in put a fiver in, I was so shocked I stopped mid-song. Thanks for the inspiration, I'm taking tips from all your videos and hoping to try Guildford soon if the damm rain stops. Out of interest, I love busking at Brighton why do you spend probably 1.5 hours going to places like Redhill? Oh and the most important thing for me is the tablet cos I can't remember damm words or cords to anything 😂😂

@AugustRadioProject

2 ай бұрын

This is so cool! Stoked for you and stoked that I've been part of inspiring your busking journey - it's exactly what I make the videos for so it's very affirming to hear! 😃 🙌 I explain my busking "methods" in this video about why I go to different places: kzread.info/dash/bejne/lWWlzMmuj7DWks4.html

Hi Ben,great advice and always good to see you out there on the street,even though we pip each other at the post for a spot,it's all part of the wonderful world of buskin. I always carry a bin liner split down the sides to make it bigger,just incase of freak or flash showers,plus if it's slightly raining but not bad enough to stop,it'll protect your amp and pedals,it's light and just fist in my pocket ready for such a time. You might not think that a bit of light rain will damage your amp but after time it dose,i know this first hand,hope to see you soon Ben,and keep up the good work mate x

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

Great advice Stew!! Always a delight to see you out there - even if you have got the spot before me 😉 but seriously, the best thing about the busking community is the support we give each other. The bin liner trick sounds awesome, I'll stick one in my bag! 😃🙌

You are an inspiration young man more power to you 😊😊

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

Thank you!! 😃🙌 I appreciate it!

Great video again man. I've been working on my setlist and i got about 1 hour now so that's fine. Now all i need is enough practice and build up the confidence to go and do it. The last part is definetly the hardest. But i do believe that when i get to the point where i can play the songs without thinking i'll probably be fine so that's the main goal for now here.

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

So cool to hear!! The next hurdle is definitely the hardest part but you can do it! Just head out that door and know that the songs will get better/easier the more you do get out there!! 😃🙌 busking is a self-fulling prophecy. Just another one of the magic things about it! Good luck out there!!

Thank you for the work you put into these videos and all the encouragement. I usually watch every one to the end because you provide great info. I ❤️ to busk!

@AugustRadioProject

10 ай бұрын

That’s so awesome to hear - thank you so much for the kind words!! 😃🙌🏻

Caffeine, water and positive vibes!

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

That's a mantra for life!! 😃🙌

Very useful some observarions. The more obvious the donation receptical is the better. Guutar case is best fiddle case second hat on a camping stool then hat on the floor. A trolley like yours MUST be pushed, if you pull it you will get wobble. Finally what is the weirdeat donation. Last week i was given a blue tiny plastic springy thing by a little boy!

@marshlanderdumarais264

11 ай бұрын

Weirdest tip for me was two pairs of socks. I busk barefoot most of the year round. The weather has to be VERY cold for me to wear socks. I gave the donation to a homeless man who got really cold in his tent the previous night. He was so pleased he said he was going to wear both pairs.

@patchevansbrokencountry2583

11 ай бұрын

@@marshlanderdumarais264 Excellent as busking does make the world a better place.

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

That's such a great point - nice big obvious donations vessel is a must!! 😃🙌 I've yet to have anything too strange but somebody bought me a hat a few weeks ago! 🤣 it's a pretty epic hat!

You have inspired me to start doing this where I live in fort pierce Florida USA. ThankYou.

@AugustRadioProject

7 ай бұрын

That's so rad!! Good luck and I must say I envy the Florida sun a little ☀ nothing but rain today in the UK... ☔🤣

Have enjoyed your videos, so informative and inspirational. I am new to busking. I had a trolley but it fellto pieces and the one you have is now no longer available on Amazon. I want to make sure I get a similar one to you.

@AugustRadioProject

Ай бұрын

I actually got mine from B&Q (diy/hardware store) 🙌🏻 it’s a kind of middle range one and can hold up to 150kg 😃 I never thought I’d know so much about trolleys 🤣 I hope you find one and thank you for the kind words!

I busk fairly light with mostly just my guitar, and tip bucket, along with some smaller things like a capo, and tuner.

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

I like it - keep it simple!! 😃🙌

Great vid as always.

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

Thank you Rik! 😃🙌

Great video. Good tips. Thanks for sharing I´m also a busker here in Mexico City. Keep the good work!

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

Thank you! Stoked you're along for the journey! 😃🙌 Maybe one day I'll head over to Mexico City!

Lewis is the man!!! Hendrix and animal muppets on the kickdrum! ya, London Brick Lane is his area! thats cool these shout outs to others :) the scratch cards tips and winners! lol never seen that before! ,VERY IMPORTANT TIP at 25:45 mins in!!! ☀cheers mate 🎸

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

YES!! I love that description 🤣it's great!! The scratch cards changed that busk and also gave me some added entertainment for the day! 😃 thank you for the comment!! 🙌

Ola eu so un busking!so escrito no teu CANAL pos os seus videos são muito interessante..obrigado continua a traser bons conteudos🇧🇷🇧🇷👍👏👏🎤🎸❤️ e belo ver você nas ruas montando e desmontando seus estrumentos di musica 🎶 👏👏👏👏👏🤟🤟

I love my flash fish it's a remote power supply that'll run things like pedals for hours

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

I recently saw somebody using one of these... great idea for remote power!! 😃🙌

ARP!! Another good and entertaining video.. 5.33 inspired kid comment (well done) Adorable ❤

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

Thank you! 😃🙌

As usual great video! I started to busk for the first time near the seashore in Poland, i had only my guitar, my voice and an empty guitar case, played only 3 songs and made no money 😢 but I will definately do it again with more songs. And I'll make sure that I have a sign and some money in the case 😊 also I have a small 60W Amp and a Mic with a stand so I'll make sure I use them next time. The hardest thing about busking is to start doing it :) I had a metal band a decade ago but stil got a bit stage fright.

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

The important thing is you got out there! 😃🙌 That's the hardest bit. Now that you've experienced it, you can head out again with your amp and sign with a bit more understanding of how you're gonna feel! Just go out there and play - it gets easier every time!

@brasilrio9643

10 ай бұрын

​@@AugustRadioProject e verdade ! 🇧🇷🇧🇷👍

As you were talking about your busking sign, I thought I’d chip in and say I think having the Instagram and KZread logos printed on the sign could be good for getting more searches/follows online like you meantioned Im sure people would be a lot quicker to get their phone out if they see the instagram logo maybe even with a little notification symbol on it You could print the app logos and stick them on your existing sign

@Wammus85

11 ай бұрын

It's possible to make a qr code. Then all you have to do is put them on a sign, edit some nice background around it and clip the print to your case.

@marshlanderdumarais264

11 ай бұрын

Yes I agree. I added the logos to my board ages ago. Every little helps, or so I’ve heard.

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

It's a great idea and one I've seen other buskers having! Maybe I'll add them into my sign - it's probably due an upgrade!! 😃🙌

@Joesharpp

11 ай бұрын

@@AugustRadioProject you deserve it!

Saw a guy busking in Cardigan a couple of weeks ago. He was great and he had a card reader BUT it was set at £5 😮 which seemed a bit high……. sadly I didn’t have any coins with me so I didn’t give him a donation….. if it had been £2 or even £3 I wouldn’t have hesitated. I wondered if people ever comment about £2.22 on the card reader? Have you tried playing with the setting to see if makes a difference?

@AugustRadioProject

10 ай бұрын

Interesting! I don't think I've ever come across £5 but I regularly meet/see buskers with it set at £3/£3.50... When I first got the card reader I set it to £1.11 (the 11p to make up for the fee that zettle take, and it being a cool number!) but then I headed to London to busk and all the London buskers told me I had it set too low. The point that they were raising is that if somebody is making the effort to get their card out and tap the reader, then they're probably okay with giving slightly more than £1. I thought it was a fair point so I upped mine to £2.22 🙌 I've never had anyone question the £2.22 for being too high and on a few occasions I've had people ask if they can donate more... I don't feel the need to go any higher so for now it'll stay! I do notice lots of people still pointing out the card reader, even in places that I'm frequently busking in!

I pack my coffee & smokes before I pack my guitar & amp ha ha

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

Haha!! Priorities!! 🤣😃🙌

Took me a minute to understand the £2.22 tip, but it's for the service charge

@AugustRadioProject

10 ай бұрын

You gotta make it a little more so that it covers the service charge, I also like the look of £2.22 - it’s got a good aesthetic 🙈😃✌🏻

Forgot to mention the sign being yellow as it stands out the most as a colour so people are more likely to look

@AugustRadioProject

10 ай бұрын

I do like the yellow sign - bright and sunny ☀️🙌🏻

This can be an open question for everyone busking: how do you deal with stairs when you're carrying around heavy equipment whether on a trolley or in a suitcase? Sometimes it's very challenging to use stairs when there's no lift available

@rudybilani2289

11 ай бұрын

Stairs are the main reason I use suitcases/luggage’s and not trolleys. Just gotta lift them up I guess.

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

I just lift/drag it all up - I guess I can. Sometimes if the staircase is narrow and I'm in a busy place, then I create traffic jams... busker problems!! 🤣

Thanks for the video. Question is now - can I start busking (I'm a a singer)? Hm. Let's check my list: Coffee travel mug (Filled ;-) )? CHECK! Trolley? (not nessecary, have a backpack). CHECK! Smile? CHECK ;-). Faith in humanity? (nearly) Always - so CHECK. Cardreader? Well, Germans love cash, so not needed - CHECK. Sign? Still Missing - okay, having no contact page yet, so not Check yet. Camera? Having an older smartphone for the start, so - CHECK! Microphone with Stand? CHECK. Backtrack music player? Check. Amp? CHECK. Hat or case for the donations? CHECK. Setlist for an hour? CHECK! Well, it looks like, I have no excuse for not starting ;-))) Okay, I will try in the next weeks. And I will inform you, how the first time was! PS: Ben, I will contact you on facebook. Because I have something for you...😀

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

I love it!! Seems like you're all set! 😃🙌 looking forward to knowing how it goes!

Why do people not use bikes and busk?

@marshlanderdumarais264

11 ай бұрын

Many do when they don’t have far to travel and can travel lightly. My closest town is ten miles away and my range of travel for busking has to be within sixty miles. I’ve been looking for a suitable bike trailer for my particular rig, but have yet to find one.

@26at116

11 ай бұрын

I do! "game changer" I used to use a trolley and get the bus, but I've arthritis in both feet so being able to ride right up to a pitch is great. I got a dog carrier bike trailer from Facebook marketplace and bolted a box onto it for the amp etc.

@AugustRadioProject

11 ай бұрын

It could be an epic way to get around!! There was a busker who commented a few videos ago who carries her Piano on a bike! 😃🙌 "Busking Britain on a Bike" sounds like an epic KZread series...! 🤔